Support for telephone handsets



K. M GILL TOPKEN July 25, 1944.

NEE K. MCGILL. SUPPORT FOR TELEPHONE HAND-SETS Filed June 29, 1942 I ffATflliR/NL" McGILL Patented July 25, 1944 surroa'r FOR 2,354,470 TELEPHONE HANDSETS Katherine McGili Topken, nee Katherine McGill, New York, N. Y.

Application June 29, 1942, Serial No. 448,966

4 Claims.

This invention relates to telephones of the type wherein the transmitter and receiver are desk, and, at the same time, such work involves numerous telephone conversations, during the course of which use of the hand to hold the telephone instrument often results in complete disorganization of thcdiscussion underway.

The object of the present invention is to provide a novel form of stand for a telephone instrument that will hold such instrument in a suitable position for use, so that the user's hands will both be free during the telephone conversation. Another object is the provision of such a stand which receives and holds a telephone instrument without necessity of operating any clamps or securing devices and yet which will hold the instrument with absolute security in a proper position to fix the position of the receiving and transmitting elements so that they are convenient for use. Still another object of the invention is to produce such a stand that is capable of manufacture by simple molding operations, so that the device may be made simply and cheaply and from a large variety of materials, such as metal or any of the moldable plastic compounds.

In the accompanying drawin'g: Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device .show

ing a telephone instrument engaged with it.

At a suitable distance above the foot 6 is a tele-v phone-engaging structure that includes a bottom or shelf element I and an upstandingportion 8 that is inclined from the front extremity 9 of the 5. The upper portion of the element 8 is hollowed out to form a continuous recess l0 wherein the telephone instrument is received. Referring to the figures, it will be seen that the innermost surface of the recess l0 conforms to the profile of the portion of a telephone hand set that is received in the recess. longitudinally of the instrument from the forward surface 9 of the element 1 to the upward extremity of the element 8. The inner surface of the recess III also conforms transversely to the surface configuration of the telephone hand set.

The structure so far described forms a secure support within which the hand set, designated l I in Figures 1 and 3,'may be received. The horizontal element 1 of the device forms a support for the instrument to-fix its vertical position. Because of the transverse configuration of a telephone set of the type in question, provision must be made against turning of the set upon a surface with which such set is supportedly engaged, and this provision is made by the vertical portion 8, the sides of which contact opposite sides of the handle portion of the hand set to prevent rotation of the set upon its lowermost surface, which surface isin contact with the element 1.

In order to permit a secure and close engagement between the supporting device and the telephone instrument, a channel I2 is provided in the portion 1 of. the supporting device. This channel is centrally disposed and is properly arranged and of such depth as to receive the telephone cord. The interengagement of the cord and the channel l2 serves to position the instrument properly relative to the holding device and serves as a stop against accidental lateral movementof the lower portion of the instrument. It will be noted with reference to Figure 1 that the instrument, as properly arranged with relation to the supporting stand, is in close engagement, and that the stand conforms completely to its configuration. It is to be noted that it is not practical to support the telephone in the stand in reverse position for the reason that the connection iii of the telephone cord l4 extends from the rear surface of the instrument to such an extent that it would prevent secure engagement of the instrument in the support in the event that the instrument were introduced upsidedown, this being by reason of the contact of the connection I 3 with the forward surface of the post 5 adjacent the top of the latter. It is therefore apparent that the formation of the supporting device is of such a character as to bottom portion I upwardly and toward the post insure that the instrument beengaged with it in This conformation extends correct position for use. It will be readily apparent that the supporting stand is so designed as to hold an instrument in proper position for use so that the ear of the user may be readily applied to the receiver II, and, by reason of the normal design and arrangement of such instrument, the transmitter 18 will then be in proper position relative to the mouth of the user.

In order to prevent overturning of the stand under the weight of the instrument, the foot portion I is preferably extended beneath the element 1 at least as far as the forward surface 8 of such element.

In summarizing the arrangement of the device, the parts I and 8 form in effect a cradle, supported on the post 5, and arranged to afford secure holding means by means of which the telephone instrument is supported in convenient position for use, and secured against accidental displacement by reason of physical contact with the instrument, other than intentional removal by picking it up. It is to be noted that the length of the member 1 is such that its forward surface abuts the rear surface of the transmitter head of an instrument supported in the stand, so that th lower or transmitter end of the instrument cannot be displaced toward the post 5. The channeled element 8 and the cord-receiving slot I2 cooperate in preventing lateral rotation of the instrument, the interengagement of the cord i4 and channel I! preventing rotational or lateral movement of the surface of the instrument relative to the member I to prevent turning about the axis of the transmitter; and the channeled member I affording support against rotation about the axis of the telephone cord.

The forward surface of the member 3 is so inclined upward and rearward as to merge into the surface of the post i at a distance above the bottom element 5 less than the length of the instrument. Above the uppermost part of the membet 8 the instrument is completely exposed in front of the post; This arrangement makes the receiver completely accessible for convenient application of the ear of the user and, additionally, ailords accessibility for grasping the instrumen for dismounting it.

The above-described supporting stand affords a convenient means of supporting a telephone without requiring the use of the hands of the person telephoning during the entire conversation, and the provision of the supporting elements that are arranged to receive and hold the telephone rigidly in a correct position, but without employing clamps or other holding devices, permits instant mounting and dismounting of the instrument, so that no other accessories, such as auxiliary circuit closers and the like, are necessary, which accessories would be necessary in the case of a support to which the telephone instrument is weight to prevent overturning. Such a weight is indicated at I I in Figure 3.

Various changes may be made in the device without departing from its essential nature. Therefore, the upright I may be provided with adjusting means to permit change in the vertical position of the element 1 since it may, in certain cases, be desirable to provide for different positions to adjust it for different uses.

I claim:

1. A support for a telephone hand set comprising a vertical post, a supporting shelf extended angularly from the post, the said shelf having a substantially horizontal bottom member arranged to supportingly eng e the transmitter end of a hand set, and the said bottom member having in its upper surface a channel arranged longitudinally of the said member to receive the telephone cord of an instrument supported by the shelf to prevent lateral movement of the end of the instrument, and members extended laterally from the post above the said bottom member to receive between them the handle of a hand set supported on the shelf.

2. A support for a telephone hand set, including a base, a standard carried by the base, and a member extending angularly outward from the standard having a curved bottom and spaced side walls so as to provide a trough-like support for the transmitter end of a hand set, said bottom. of the supporting member being formed with a groove extending through one side thereof and of a depth to receive the cord of a hand set supported by the member to permit the said transmitter end of the set to lie substantially flush with said curved bottom.

3. A support of the character described, including an elongate base, a standard carried by the base adjacent one end of the latter, and a trough-like support extending angularly outward from the standard above the base so as to overlie the latter in spaced relation thereto, said troughlike support being formed with an upwardly facing groove extending through the outer free end 'of the support so as to receive the cord of a telephone hand set and to permit the curved portion of the transmitter end of the said hand set to lie substantially flush with the bottom of the troughlike support.

4. A support of the character described, including a base, a standard, a trough-like support connected to the standard having its free end extending angularly outward therefrom, and side walls carried by the support having one of their ends extending upwardly andmerging into the standard intermediate the ends of the latter, said trough-like support having its bottom formed with a longitudinally extending upwardly facing groove to receive the cord of a telephone hand set, so as topermit the handle portion of the set to lie substantially flush with the bottom of the supp rt.

KATHERDIE McG-ILL TOPKEIN, NII

' KA'I'HERINE McGILL, 

